This episode of Plenty is unusual for the unique, unfiltered look it provides into one way  advocacy can result in changes to food policy. We sat in on the September “Chef Power Hour,” a monthly meeting of the minds hosted by the Chefs Collaborative and heard some thought-provoking ideas on how chefs, a set of professionals intimately concerned with food issues, can exert influence over the legislative and regulatory processes that govern the production, distribution, and preparation of our meals.     How can chefs influence food policy? What data and/or actions help politicians tune into pressing issues like food waste, sustainable seafood, hunger, and more? During this one-hour phone call, chefs and experts dove into strategies and tactics for elevating the national conversation around food – especially in this election season. The goal was to send people away from the call with the information and tools needed to make a difference this fall, and all year-round. FEATURING: Claire Benjamin DiMattina (Food Policy Action) Celinda Lake (Lake Research Partners) Chef Evan Mallett (Black Trumpet, Chefs Collaborative Board Member, Author of Black Trumpet: A Chef’s Journey Through Eight New England Seasons) Katherine Miller (James Beard Foundation) About the Chefs Collborative Chefs Collaborative is a national nonprofit network with a mission to inspire, educate, and celebrate chefs and food professionals building a better food system. Considerations when thinking about food policy Participants were asked to consider information provided in the documents below as they formulated their responses to the question of how to influence food policy. Research conducted by Lake Research Partners & Bellwether Research and Consulting, below, indicates that attitudes in this country are highly favorable towards a change from business as usual. Food Policy Research Findings While food is seen as widely available in America, voters across the spectrum think the weakness in our food system is that healthy foods are not as widely available or as affordable, and that is a problem. Voters say their top priority for changing the food system is to make healthy foods more affordable (45 percent), followed by increasing education on healthy food choices so that people have more information when making food decisions (23 percent). They express strong concerns around the food system’s impact on the health of children. Eighty-one (81) percent of voters are very concerned that one third of children today will develop type-2 diabetes. Sixty-nine (69) percent are very concerned that today’s children are expected to live shorter lives than their parents. In focus groups, these statements were a powerful call to action for policies that would aid access to healthy foods for all families, regardless of their zip code. People also express strong concerns around the disconnect between government recommendations and the policies behind them. They believe special interests and money in politics influence the system. Forty-nine (49) percent of voters are very concerned (81 percent are very or somewhat concerned) that the Federal government recommends a diet of 50 percent fruits and vegetables while less than 1 percent of farm subsidies go toward fruits and vegetables. Voters express similarly strong concerns that the federal government does not provide enough support for sustainable farming practices that can meet our needs while protecting the environment. Voters also express concerns about workers in the food industry. Forty-one (41) percent of voters are very concerned (75 percent are very or somewh...